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Help:Getting Started
Welcome to MechWikia, the collaborative database on the BattleTech universe. If you have never browsed a wiki or used a wiki created with WikiMedia software before, you may wish to read on. Whenever you feel ready, feel free to jump right in and start editing pages with the edit button at the top of every page. MechWikia exists to provide a resource where fans or interested newcomers can find information about anything related to BattleTech, from pulse lasers to planets. As a wiki site, it is free for anyone to edit, meaning that you can get started contributing your knowledge right away. Only through cooperation and reader participation can a wiki grow into a major information resource. Browsing MechWikia The navigation buttons On the left side of the page is a sidebar which contains numerous buttons. Directly under the site logo are the navigation buttons. The two buttons you should concern yourself with at the moment are "Main Page" and "Help". The Main Page button obviously takes you to the main page and the Help button takes you to the page where you can learn more about using MechWikia. The Main Page The Main Page is the best place to start out if you aren't sure what you're looking for or just want to start looking around. In the title bar at the top are a few important links, including one to the ' ' page. Below this are the directory and news windows. The directory has a list of links to overview topics for you to get started with if you just want some general knowledge or aren't sure where you're headed. The news window has information regarding the latest changes to the site. As MechWikia grows, the Main Page will undoubtably change in content and appearance. The search bar If you know what you're looking for, the fastet way to get there is the search bar. If you know the exact title of the page you want, type it in and click Go, and you'll automatically be taken to that page. If that page doesn't exist or you click Search, you'll be taken to a results page with a list of all the pages containing your search terms. For example, typing in "Timber Wolf" and clicking Go will take you directly to the page on the Timber Wolf, while clicking Search will show you a list of all the pages that contain the words "timber" and "wolf". WikiLinks On just about every page you look at, there will be numerous wikilinks - words or phrases colored blue or red. For example, the word in this sentence is a wikilink. A blue wikilink will take you to another page covering whatever topic the linked words are about. A red wikilink means that the corresponding page hasn't yet been created. Authors will sometimes link to a nonexistant page when they feel it needs to be created and plan to create it themselves later, or leave it for someone else to create. Editing Creating an account You do not need an account to participate in MechWikia or make changes to the site. However, if you wish to, you can create an account so that when you make changes, you can sign then with your account name instead of an IP address. Creating an account also allows you to watch pages and have your own user page. To create an account, use the button in the very top right of the page. Editing pages You can start editing a page by clicking on the edit button at the top of the page. Most pages have edit buttons, though a few are always locked to prevent vandalism (such as the Main Page). Once you click the edit button you'll be taking to the editing window, where you can add, remove, or change information on the page. You can change the look of your text with the various buttons at the top of the window or by using the appropriate . You can also edit only a section of a page by clicking the small edit link to the right of that section's title. Once you are finished, click Show preview to make sure you are happy with your changes and then Save page once you are satisfied. For more in-depth information on editing, see . If you think there is something wrong with a page that may need fixing or removing, but aren't sure, see . Creating pages If you click on a red wikilink, you will be taken directly to the edit window for that currently nonexistant page. Once you add content and click Save page, the page will be created with your content. You or anyone else can go back and edit it more at any time. If you want to make a page you don't see a link to, go to the search bar and type the page title in exactly how you want to make it. In the results page, at the top your search text will appear as a red wikilink and you can use this to create the page. Remember, you don't own pages you create. Others may make changes to them, and unless these changes are inaccurate or violate MechWikia guidelines, you must respect and leave these changes. If you are not happy with this arrangement, a wiki might not be the right place for you. Deleting pages Normal users do not have the power to delete pages. However, you may mark a page for deletion. For more help, see . Discussion pages Each page or article also has a page where you can communicate with other users regarding the topic of the page or article. You can respond to other users' comments or questions or add your own. Please remain on topic about the article and do not use the discussion page for personal commentary or questions (you may say, for example, "what clan developed the Timber Wolf?", but not "What's the best configuration for a Timber Wolf?" or "I hate the Timber Wolf"). Please make sure you sign comments on discussion pages with three or four tildes (~~~ or ~~~~).